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Getting Started
Getting Started in PlanetSide 2 As the new rookie sets forth to begin their adventure on Auraxis, a planet full of beautiful terrain, rich resources and all-out large-scale open warfare, there are a few tips the seasoned veterans of the Terran Republic, New Conglomerate and Vanu Sovereignty have traditionally offered their young recruits in the hopes that they will return from their latest mission and the veterans won’t be left to train yet another wave of new recruits to replace them. These Standard Operating Procedures have since been written down to be passed from one rank to the next and now they have come into your hands. Welcome to Auraxis. Welcome aboard new recruits! As new players to the war on Auraxis, there is a lot to immediately take in and understand quickly in this world if the player doesn’t wish to be shot right out of the spawn point. This guide is meant to offer some basic starting points and explanations to help players be able to more quickly jump into the live action of the game and get right on to the warfront. So launch PlanetSide 2, make sure it is patched, and let’s get started at the Character Creation screen. Character Creation The first step in creating a character is choosing an Empire. In PlanetSide 2, the empire the player decides on means a lot more than just what color armor they will be wearing. Each of the three iconic empires has access to unique weapons and weapon attachments, vehicles, abilities and more. In choosing an Empire, the player is really choosing a play-style that will mold their character throughout their entire lifetime. The Rise of the Empires section covers each Empire and their strengths, weaknesses and philosophies in greater detail found here: PS2 Empires Overview *'Terran Republic' – The Terran Republic’s philosophy of warfare stresses top of the line, new but conventional technology, thus their tactics rely on the allowance of maximum sustainable damage, rapid fire rates with less damage output, and high ammo capacity weapons systems, but more lightly armored vehicles that are the fastest on the field. *'New Conglomerate' - The New Conglomerate’s philosophy of warfare stresses brute force, thus their tactics rely upon heavy tanks, hard-hitting weapons systems, and shields hoping to smash the enemy in the initial contact before they can react. *'Vanu Sovereignty' – The Vanu Sovereignty’s philosophy of warfare stresses the technology equals might, thus their tactics rely on energy-based weapons using plasma-like ammunition. While they do not have the impact or fire rate of the other Empires, their weapons are deadly over a wider area than their counterparts. Once the player has selected their Empire, hit Next to proceed. This is where Server Selection occurs. With the selection of each server there is a chart that also appears to the right indicating the current mix of Empires on that server. While playing on a server where your Empire choice is outnumbered will give the player an experience bonus in the short term, it likely will not have any long term benefits as more players continue to join and balance out the server mixes. Once a server has been selected, hit Next to proceed. Now the player is afforded the options to choose their character’s sex, face and name before launching into the game itself. Once the character is customized to the player’s liking proceed into the game by hitting Next. When the player first loads into the game they are immediately warped into their Empire’s Warp Gate. Warp Gates are a protected area that can be invaded by enemy Empires but cannot be captured or controlled by enemy Empires. This is important to be aware of as there may be an enemy sniper with sights already set on characters just warping in. Warp Gates will also serve to be the transition point for characters to travel to different continents. For more information about Warp Gates and to read up on the other types of bases found in PlanetSide 2 check here: PS2 Base Guide Template Choosing a Class While it may appear that the player is finished with character creation there is still one critical step left, choosing a class. Now that the player is in game the first thing to look for is one of many nearby terminals that appear with a gun icon above it. The color of the icons and terminals will depend on the Empire chosen, but the small icon of the gun is stagnant and can be seen through walls so these terminals are easily located throughout various facilities. Look for this small icon that hovers above the terminal and that can be seen through walls to select a character class. Interact with these terminals for class selection by pressing E on the keyboard. Once the player approaches one of these terminals the screen will prompt you to hit E on your keyboard to interact with it. Upon interaction a new screen will open for the player to show them the class options. Each class contains its own gear, or Loadout, that includes weapons, suit and abilities. The MAX class, or Mechanized Assault Exo-Suit, does cost resources to equip, but the others are at the player's choice. Available choices include: *'Infiltrator' - Their covert nature gives them a unique set of strengths. As any shadow or heat shimmer could be an Infiltrator lying in wait, the fear they instill in other soldiers is as deadly a weapon as any. Whether they’re relaying critical information to their empire, laying in wait to strike a target, or preventing an enemy advance, skilled Infiltrators will make sure the only traces they leave behind are enemy corpses. *'Light Assault' - Agile and deadly, they serve their empire as an excellent flanker and skirmisher. The Light Assault is able to choose from a diverse arsenal of various weapon types, including rifles, shotguns, and SMGs making them extremely adaptable on the battlefield. *'Combat Medic' - Beyond healing, Combat Medics can do a ton more than just squad support. Though they’re defined by their ability to help others, their customizable rifle establishes them as a force in their own right on the battlefield. They can help themselves. Through the use of specialized loadouts and kits, the Combat Medic can become all the more versatile, ready and able to bring whatever is needed to any combat situation. *'Engineer' - Their infantry training has given them means to remain competitive with other soldiers in medium-to-long range combat as well as allowing them to repair heavy damage on vehicles, facility equipment, and MAX suits in seconds. They are also experts in the use of powerful anti-tank mines, giving them the means to fortify a facility or cause massive and unexpected destruction on the field by mining a far off chokepoint. *'Heavy Assault' - Their custom armor configuration is responsible for their ability to take hits that would kill other soldiers, while their heavy weaponry allows them to punch holes in enemy tanks or lay down sustained fire. Equipped with some of the strongest armor and weapons available to infantry, a seasoned Heavy Assault will leave a path of corpses and burning wreckage in their wake. *'MAX' - The MAX or Mechanized Assault Exo-Suit is a heavy infantry class that is a step-up from the Heavy Assault class. The MAX is considered a vehicle because of its size and weaponry. It can take a massive amount of damage and has some of the most devastating weapons in the game. Once a class has been chosen however does not mean the player has to create another character to be play another class. Classes in PlanetSide 2 can be swapped in and out at any time from within the game at these terminals conveniently located throughout almost any facility on Auraxis. So if the player wants to suit up with his or her friends but they prefer a certain class to help out, no problem! If the player feels like chilling and sneaking around to explore on the more stealthy side tonight but they typically play a Heavy Assault, no problem! It is important to note that weapons, items and certifications which will be talked about shortly, do not carry across classes. One character can build up and unlock everything for each class, but this must be done separately for each class. These terminals are also where players will return to load new equipment and weapons when they are unlocked. To learn more about each class, its play style, unique abilities, weapons and unlocks check out the Classes overview found here: PS2 Class Guide Template Getting Around Auraxis Once the player has picked a class they wish to start with, now it is time to pick a means of exploring this beautiful and deadly new world. In a room adjacent to where the player first warps in there will be two more small icons already visible through the walls. One looks like a small tank and one looks like a small airplane. Each of these two types of terminals will show several options for ground vehicles and aircraft vehicles, including unique types of each for each Empire. Look for this small icon that hovers above the terminal and that can be seen through walls to select a ground transportation vehicle. Interact with these terminals for ground vehicle selection by pressing E on the keyboard. Look for this small icon that hovers above the terminal and that can be seen through walls to select an aircraft transportation vehicle. Interact with these terminals for aircraft selection by pressing E on the keyboard. At some facilities all vehicles, both air and ground, may sometimes be selected from a single terminal. Unlike what has become mainstream in MMOs, vehicles should not be thought of as permanent or as “mounts” rather they are used to give an edge to the infantry in battles, drop soldiers at the front of battle, provide quick transportation and as weapons themselves, but they can also be attacked and destroyed. To learn more about each type of vehicle, including unique Empire vehicles, check out the links here: PS2 Vehicle Guide Template Off To War From here players are ready to join the fight! There is a wide variety of ways to join battles. Players can simply explore the world until they find a battle, they can track the warfront on their Maps, and they can join instantly into HotSpot battles. These options are each discussed shortly, however, what does it mean to “fight” exactly. Is PlanetSide 2 just about shooting at characters wearing different colors? Yes, but it’s much much more than that as well. There are Missions and Objectives to complete. There are Bases, Towers, and Outposts to capture. And there are Resources to win control of. There will be times it is important for Empires to band their army together and attack an important facility, other times it will important for everyone to band together to defend a facility. To discover more about the various facilities and how to capture or defend them, check here: PS2 Base Guide Template User Interface Now that the basics of character creation and transportation have been covered there is even more to explore on various screens at the player’s fingertips. Starting with the current screen: A. Player Chat B. Current Location/Base/Territory C. Current Resources D. Local Map/”Mini Map” E. Health (green) and Shields (blue) F. Current Ammunition/Grenade Count In Inventory G. Cooldown Timer On Abilities By pressing ESC on the keyboard, the player is taken to their character Summary page. From here the player can quickly take inventory of their character’s level, Cert points, Implants, Stats, Resources and view the current Leaderboard. This screen allows for simple navigation through and links to all other aspects of the player’s character with the toolbar at the bottom. Spend some time exploring each of these tabs. The Map screen warrants some special attention as well. A player can access the Map screen by selecting the second tab on the bottom of the Profile Summary screen or by simply pressing M on the keyboard from the game screen. The Map shares a variety of vital information for new and veteran players. There are several sections to the Map screen including HotSpots, Empire Population, Resources, and Display options. Resources display the players current total resources available, as well as incoming periodic control rewards, and when the boxes are checked next to each type of resource, the map will display all the rewards available from territories located on the current continent the player is displaying. Resources are really the heart of the war on Auraxis. Resources are needed for everything, building, resupplying characters, purchasing, unlocking, etc. Take some time and read up about the resources system and how it works here: PS2 Resource System Overview The Empire Population shows the current server’s distribution of players by the Empire they are playing to allow player’s a quick visual the same as when a player is creating a character. This may influence player’s choice to switch to a different side for awhile, and help keep better balance across the Empires. Display options allow players the choice of how to filter what they want to see displayed on their Map. Hotspots, Objectives, Facilities, and Territory Control are especially useful. For some other World Maps to help locate various facilities, territories and resources, check here: PS2 World Map Template Hotspots are an instant way for players to jump into the fray of battle. By selecting a particular Hotspot and hitting the green Instant Action button, the player is transported to the battle’s frontlines. When there are several others from various sides already involved in the battle several bars will appear within the Instant Action box showing the player instantly how far along the objective is from being completed and which Empire is winning the objective. This allows the player to decide ahead of time whether it is worth the time and effort to jump to the battle or if the fight is almost over and perhaps they should look to the next Hotspot on the list. For more information on other Missions available check out the information here: PS2 Mission Systems Overview Communication is Key Fighting and winning a war requires a unified front, everyone working together for the betterment of their Empire, their team, because ultimately if the team wins, the character wins greater spoils. Teamwork is a vital element in PlanetSide 2 and there is ample opportunity to practice at it and meet some new friends as well as play with some old. By hitting INSERT on your keyboard you can instantly join a random Squad, or the player can hit ESC and go to the Social tab ( ). From the tab a player can instantly join a random Squad, select a Squad from the list to join, or invite friends to create a new Squad under the Outfit tab within Social. For more fun with communication PlanetSide 2 has taken voice macros to a new level. With the introduction of the Spot Player system, players simply need to target another character or vehicle and hold Q on their keyboard to open a radial menu of quick macro options. For instance, if targeting a vehicle, the character can Request Transport, triggering a macro and notifying the pilot/driver of the vehicle along with giving them the requestor's location. As a player be sure to play around with this system to not only explore its options but to become fast at using it. PlanetSide 2 also includes an in-game VoIP system. While the there is still the text box chat system located in the upper left corner of the player’s user interface, the VoIP adds a number of channels for players to join such as Local Area, Squad, Outfit, and Empire with more to come. The VoIP system will add a nice variable for communication among the more serious players. The VoIP system does however require some customization amongst the player’s key bindings so be sure to spend some time playing with this system too and getting it set up to work efficiently. Some Other Important Pointers Weapons PlanetSide 2 has well over 150 weapons in game for various classes and Empires. All the weapons in PlanetSide 2 can be purchased, if they are not starting weapons for classes, with either in-game currency (see resources) or with Station Cash. To explore the vast array of weapon options read more here: PS2 Weapons Guide Template Implants Implants are enhancements to characters and can do a wide variety of things. Some examples include increasing the rate of accumulation of resources or experience. Some remove or decrease the wait time before respawning a destroyed vehicle or ones that can make a character better at reloading, running, aiming, etc. A character can have up to four equipped at once, but they are limited in duration, lasting only around 24 hours, and cost either resources or Station Cash to purchase. Certifications Certifications are awarded over time, as characters level, or for completing certain objectives. Every weapon, vehicle and class in PlanetSide 2 has its own system of Certifications. Once a player spends certification points on the Certs (as they are referred) they desire, the character needs to return to a Class or Vehicle Terminal (depending on the Cert) to load the new ability, weapon, skin, mod or otherwise into their loadouts. Also Cert points will accumulate on a character and represent the character as a whole. However, once a player spends Cert points on a ability, for instance, that ability remains with the class it was spent on. That ability and the spent Cert points do not transfer if the player switches the characters class. The player can view more about their character’s Certs by selecting the link from the Profile Summary page or by selecting the second tab to the right at the bottom of the screen. Battle Ready Armed with not only a newly equipped gun but the basic concepts of PlanetSide 2, both veteran and rookie players alike are ready to take the field in this sequel to the landmark MMO FPS. PlanetSide 2 is a massively multiplayer online first person shooter that delivers truly epic, massive combat on a scale never before seen in stunning, breathtaking detail. Join up in battles being waged with thousands of other players in intense land, air and vehicle gameplay where the fight for territory is more than a victory, its survival. Now as an individual player experiment with the extensive skill tree and free-form class-based system, customize your soldier, weapons and vehicles to match not just your personal play-style, but those needs of your squad, outfit or empire. With the potential for battles to last from days to weeks, players will need to build alliances and specialized combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With air and ground combat, the battles will be larger and more intense than ever. And whether it's "Loyalty until death!" or "Freedom for all!" or "Advance and protect humanity at all costs!", may the best Empire win. References *All information contained within this article originated from and belongs to SOE and the PlanetSide 2 team, the content has been modified from its original form by a paid contractor of SOE. ©2012 Sony Online Entertainment LLC. SOE, the SOE logo and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Please see http://www.planetside2.com for the original content and more!